Originally Posted by Daily Commute
OK, ten years old.
A large number of grade schools cyclists in residential neighbourhoods has sometimes been used to justify a bike lane, particularly when on a street with a lot of traffic. I fully support that.
Originally Posted by Daily Commute
The point is, less experienced, less competent, and less confident cyclists can become more experienced, more competent, and more confident with practice. Bike lanes may exist elsewhere, but in the US, they are touted most for their benefit to less experienced, less competent, and less confident cyclists. Instant gratification instead of a little work.
I don't claim to know why bike lanes are built in the US, and while that knowledge is certainly interesting its really minor to a comprehensive bike lane discussion.. The cyclists I have met attending the recent rounds of city open-house events (Alta Vista corridor, draft bike plan, final LRT transit plan) would, for the most part, be considered experienced cyclists and they were all pro bike-lane. Similarly on Saturday night I was chatting with a woman who has been cycling in Ottawa for ten years, and we compared notes on the west end (her area) and the south-east (mine) and both talked about the locations we felt needed new (or improved) bike lanes.
I have made the statement before, and do so again: I consider bike lanes to be "bike expressways" and have little do with the cyclist's experience level.